Who is Luke Littler? Things to know about the darts sensation who is world champion at age 17

Luke Littler has won the world darts championship at the age of 17 after beating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final in London on Friday.

He became the youngest ever world champion in darts.

Here are some things to know about Britain's latest sporting sensation:

Littler threw his first dart — onto a magnetic board — at 18 months old, with a video showing him doing so while wearing a diaper. Littler started throwing steel tip darts at the age of 4 or 5, and he says he was throwing them from competition length — from an oche, or throwing line — at age 6 or 7. He won his first title at senior level when he was age 14, at the Irish Open in 2021.

Littler burst into global consciousness — and brought a new wave of followers to darts — by reaching the final of last year's world championship at the age of 16, in his first appearance at the tournament. To the backdrop of chants of “You’ve got school in the morning” from a boisterous crowd, Littler became the youngest player to win a match on the sport’s highest stage and then beat two former world champions to get to the title match, where he lost to top-ranked Luke Humphries. He celebrated his victories with kebabs and filled his down-time by playing video games.

Being a world championship runner-up earned Littler 200,000 pounds ($255,000) and he finished 2024 with total prize money topping 1 million pounds ($1.28 million) after winning 10 tournaments around the world, including in Bahrain and Amsterdam and climbing to No. 4 in the world.

Last month, Google announced that Littler was Britain’s most-searched athlete in 2024 and the third most-searched person, behind Kate Middleton and President-elect Donald Trump and just ahead of recently elected U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles. He has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, up from 4,000 before last year’s worlds.

Steve Brown, chairman of the Junior Darts Corporation, told the BBC the Littler effect has seen the number of academies for children under the age of 16 double to 115 in the last year and they can be found in places like Bulgaria and Mongolia. Brown said his corporation has more than 3,000 members, up from 1,600 12 months ago.

Littler — nicknamed “Luke the Nuke” — still lives at home with his parents, Lisa Littler and Anthony Buckley, in Warrington in northwest England. He is a Manchester United fan and received a message from David Beckham during the 2024 worlds.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Luke Littler of England celebrates during the final of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Luke Littler of England celebrates during the final of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Luke Littler of England celebrates during the final against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Luke Littler of England celebrates after winning the final against against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Luke Littler of England kisses the trophy after winning the final against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Luke Littler of England celebrates after winning the final against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

CAVALESE, Italy (AP) — Therese Johaug claimed her fourth Tour de Ski victory in style Sunday by winning the final stage climb up Mount Cermis.

The Norwegian is back in top form after two years of retirement, and has now won another big title at the Val di Fiemme venue that will host cross country skiing at next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.

In the overall standings, Johaug finished 47.5 seconds ahead of Norwegian teammate Astrid Oeyre Slind and 2:41.3 ahead of Jessie Diggins, the American who won the Tour last year and in 2021.

Diggins’ fellow Minnesota skier and Alpine great Lindsey Vonn was on hand to cheer her on.

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway won the men’s tour for the fourth time, ahead of Mika Vermeulen of Austria (1:23.1 behind) and Hugo Lapalus of France (1:43.7).

Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway won the final stage.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Tour de Ski winner Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo poses with trophies after the 10km men's mass start race of the Tour de Ski cross country, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Alpine ski great United States Lindsey Vonn watches the 10km women's mass start race of the Tour de Ski cross country, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Tour de Ski winner Norway's Therese Johaug poses with her trophies after the 10km women's mass start race of the Tour de Ski cross country, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Norway's Therese Johaug wins the 10km women's mass start race of the Tour de Ski cross country, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

United States Lindsey Vonn poses with the American athletes of cross country after the 10km women's mass start race of the Tour de Ski cross country, in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)